Leader Of The Pack

The title refers to Maxwell and his new album possibly being #1 next week. Way to go Maxwell! Meanwhile Fabolous finally has a new release date for his long-awaited album, "Loso's Way". I was just listening to his new song, "Throw It In The Bag" with Dream and I really like it now. Not one to be outdone, Erykah Badu resurfaces with talk of a new album. Read on about it.

Music Biz:
Maxwell Leads Huge Debut Next Week!

Maxwell's first album in nearly eight years, "BLACKsummers'night," is headed for a big debut next week on the Billboard 200 chart. Industry prognosticators suggest the Columbia set could move anywhere from 275,000 to 325,000 in its first week. The R&B singer's last offering, 2001's "Now," opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with a career-high 296,000 copies sold according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Fabolous Preps 'Loso's Way" Album!

Until now, the Brooklyn rapper Fabolous kept his private life under wraps. Not only did he stay quiet about getting shot three years ago—a rarity among rappers—he also chose to keep his relationship and the birth of his first child out of the public eye.

Recently, though, he's changed his tune. With the release of his fifth studio album, "Loso's Way," out July 28 on Desert Storm/Def Jam Records, Fabolous says he's ready to get personal.

"For a while it felt like my personal life was just my personal life," says Fabolous, born John Jackson. "But I started to feel more comfortable in my skin and with myself as a public figure, and I wanted to share more of my character with my fans. I also felt it could help my music too, especially this album."

To help tell his story, Fabolous looked for inspiration in "Carlito's Way," the 1993 movie in which an ex-con pledges to shun drugs and violence despite the pressure around him.

Erykah Badu Returns With New Album!

Just a little over a year after releasing her fourth studio album, "New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War," Erykah Badu is back with the second installment tentatively titled "New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return Of The Ankh." Although no release date has been announced yet, sources close to the singer confirm she is currently in the studio working with long-time collaborator James Poyser ("Love Of My Life," "Danger").

Badu's "New Amerykah, Pt. 1" has sold 354,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.